README

Virtual Quake (formerly Virtual California) is a computer simulation which 
models the earthquake fault system in California. It uses field observations
to define fault topology, long-term slip rates and frictional parameters. 
The faults are meshed into fault-segments and quasi-static elastic interactions
are calculated between these segments. Slip is then applied to each segment at
geologically-observed rates until stress values exceed the frictional parameters.
At this point the segment will break and transfer stress to the rest of the
system via the quasi-static interactions described above. Under the correct
conditions, transferred stress results in propagating ruptures throughout the
system, i.e. a simulated earthquake. The design of Virtual Quake allows
for fast execution so many thousands of events can be generated over very 
long simulated time periods. The result is a rich dataset from which to study
the statistical properties of the rupturing fault system.

== INSTALLATION ==
 
 See the INSTALL file.
 
== TESTING ==

After following the instructions in INSTALL, before you move any files around. 
From within the 'build' directory run:
 
 make test